Today we’re going to talk about one of the most controversial topics in American society. You’ve been asked; your friends have been asked. The topic is forbidden at the dinner table, lest a fistfight break out amongst the peas and carrots.

Marvel or DC?

As far as comics are concerned, it’s pretty much a matter of preference. But when it comes to movies - or, more specifically, shared cinematic universes - there’s no contest: Marvel trumps DC at pretty much every turn.

“But Iron Man 2 was…”

“But Wonder Woman was…”

Marvel trumps DC. There can be no question. I assure you.

But Marvel has been releasing two or three movies a year for almost the last decade, as well as producing tie-in media like various formats of television shows and web series. Marvel seems to swallow Hollywood whole; the cast list for Avengers: Infinity War is reads more like a comprehensive who’s-who of A-list actors in the 2010s than your standard blockbuster role call.

But how long can they keep this up?

I know, I know - God forbid the day should come that we don’t get our Stark fix. But really, how long can they carry this one? Thor: Ragnarok marks the seventeenth (!) feature film in Marvel’s ever-expanding universe, and the studio shows no signs of stopping. So fans and casual moviegoers alike are wondering - how long can Marvel really keep the MCU going?

Well, I could provide you with quotes from Kevin Feige or estimations based on other longstanding movie franchises, but the answer is simple: as long as it makes money.

Now, I more than anyone want to believe that Marvel is in the moviemaking business purely for the entertainment of its loyal fans and patrons.

And to a certain extent, that’s true. But Marvel is owned by Disney, and we all know that Disney’s MO is, according to Epic Rap Battles of History, “cranking out magic and assembly line whimsy.” Skeptical, I know, for a Disney fan, no less.

But making good movies is integral to keeping the cash cow producing. Marvel may have the same sense of humor throughout its entire franchise, but it’s the modern sense of humor. They may have the same group of people fighting the same wormhole in the sky, but this is what we’ve come to expect, and as long as Marvel keeps entertaining, I see nothing wrong with it.

So, how long can Marvel keep their MCU going? Probably as long as it’ll go. But that’s the point - to create a cinematic universe. A project of this breadth has never been attempted before.

Purists may whine about ruining the source material, but quite honestly, the MCU has become a monster almost completely independent of precedent. I say, as long as they’re true to their good-natured, quality roots, keep the Marvel movies coming.